Pickens Seniors for Change, an advocacy group fighting for additional tax exemptions for senior property owners, achieved a milestone this week with the approval of a straw poll question for next year’s Republican primary ballot.

The advocacy group has been pushing for changes to the county’s current tax exemption policies for years, arguing that Pickens County seniors – especially those on fixed incomes - are “going broke” because of their property taxes. Pickens County currently offers a full exemption for property owners 62 years and older with a household income of less than $25,000.

Hundreds of knives and other items believed to be stolen were seized by sheriff officers last week. The loot now fills a conference room and is stored in trailers at the jail. See photos of other items on Page 9A in the print or online editions.

Like Hoarders mixed with Cops, sheriff’s officers last week hauled more than 1,000 items believed to be stolen, ranging from vehicles to GI Joe dolls, from a wooded Reavis Road home.

Lt. Chris Webb of the Pickens Sheriff’s office said there’s a chance anything stolen in the past decade is now at the jail, overflowing a conference room and in two covered trailers out back and they want to get it back to the owners.

Fundraising efforts underway for Veterans Memorial - Ray Smith, the general manager of the Pickens County Veterans Memorial, accepts a donation from Parish Lowrie of Parish Lowrie State Farm. With them are (L-r) Wayne Poore, veteran of the year for Pickens County; Nancy Allen, employee of the local State Farm office, Ray Smith, Parish Lowrie and Gary Bledsoe, chair of the Bricks of Honor campaign. Smith said, “Fund raising is off to a great start and we expect to begin construction in the next few months with completion by Veterans Day, November 11, 2017. The annual Veterans Day ceremony will be at the new memorial.”

Lee Newton Park will soon become home to the Pickens County Veteran’s Memorial Park. Located in the southwest corner of the park, and designed in the shape of a pentagon, five marble monuments representing each branch of the U.S. military will surround a United States flag. Marble benches,